Apparatus for automatic localized annealing



Oct. 2, 1951 H. A. HOLBERSON 2,569,634

' APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICYLOCALIZED ANNEALING .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNOV. 13, 1948-.

. INVENTOR. HENRY A. HOLBERSON ATTORNEY Oct- 2, 1.951 H. A. HoLBErSoN2,569,634

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC-LOCALIZED ANNEALING FiledvNov. 13, 1948 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4 v

INVENTOR. HENRY A. HOLBERSON ATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1951 H. A. HOLBERSONAPPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC LOCALIZED ANNEALING Filed Nov; 15, 1948 4She'ets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. HENRY A. HOLBERSON ATTORNEY Oct. 2,1951 H.A. HOLBERSON 2,569,634 I APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC LOCALIZED ANNEALING v IFiled Nov. 15, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I07 H I05 WW 108 IN V EN TOR.

HENRY A.HOLBERSON BY A ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1951 APPARATUS FORAUTOMATIC LOCALIZED ANNEALIN Henry A. Holberson, Youngstown, OhioApplication November 13, 1948, Serial No. 59,865

5 Claims.

Many articles which are die formed or pressed from flat sheets requireannealing in certain areas to avoid strain cracks or to relieve workhardening prior to further processing. Typical of such articles arestove tops and sinks of the class which comprise a generally flatsurface in part bounded by a depending skirt or flange with a curved orrounded edge intermediate the two which are usually annealed for thepurpose aforesaid in their rounded corners proximate their front edges.This work customarily has been performed manually by directing a lightedannealing torch against the inner surface of one corner and holding itthere for a time presumably sufi'icient to effect the requisiteannealand then repeating the operation for the other corner, but thisprocedure is a time consuming one and open to several objections amongwhich may be mentioned the tendency of the operative to over anneal orunder anneal the work or to apply the torch improperly or to an areaother than that which should be annealed.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide apparatus adaptedto automatically effect the annealing of articles of this generalcharacter in a minimum amount of time and in an efficient manner so thatby its use not only may the proper areas be treated but the right amountof heat applied thereto for the requisite time.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which isadapted to anneal a plurality of areas of the work piece simultaneouslythus materially reducing the time heretofore required for annealing themseparately and correspondingly reducing production costs.

A still further object is the provision of a novel method ofsimultaneously annealing a plurality of areas of work pieces of thegeneral character of which mention has been made, while still anotherobject is the provision of a novel annealing nozzle or tip for anannealing torch adapted to direct the burning gases toward theparticular zone or area to be annealed and so concentrating the heattherein with resultant savings in the amount of gas consumed for a givenjob.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of design, construction andassembly comprehended by the invention are hereinafter more particularlypointed out or will be apparent to those skilled in the art from thefollowing description of one form of apparatus constructed in accordancewith it and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation of the said apparatus;

Fig. 2 on a larger scale is a more detailed front elevation of a portionthereof, and

therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the same scale as Fig. 2 on the plane ofline 3-3 inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation on a still larger scale of the annealingtorch carrying mechanism and associated parts included in the apparatus;

Fig. 5 is an end' elevation on the same scale of the mechanism shown inFig. 4 looking from the left in said figure;

Fig. -6 is a top plan view of one of the torch holding brackets;

Fig. 7 on a scale still larger than Figs. 4 and 5 is a fragmentarydetail of the work feeding mechanism and associated parts;

Fig. 8 is a View looking from the left of Fig. '7, and

Fig. 9 is one looking-from the right of said figure. V

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of one of the annealing torchheads or nozzles;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view thereof, and

Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of certain electrical connections andcontrols'which may be used in the apparatus.

Essentially the apparatus comprises transversely spaced, longitudinallyextending ways or rails along which the work pieces W consecutivelytravel from the point at which they are received on the ways to anannealing station where they are held while being annealed and fromwhich they pass to a discharge portion of the ways from which'they areultimately removed for further processing. The ways may be eithercontinuous or, as shown in Fig. l, the receiving portion A and dischargeportion B may be formed separately from the intermediate portion C wherethe annealing is performed and suitably secured thereto. The annealingtorches are disposed in front of this part of the ways and in theembodiment of the invention now being described are arranged in spacedrelation and in such manner they can be reciprocated in a generallyvertical direction to enter their tips into the interior of the workpieces when resting on the ways in proper alignment with the torches andso bring them into proximity to the areas which are to be .anhealed andto enable this to be done with work pieces of different sizes thesupporting means for the torches are made adjustable in differentdirections, all as will hereafter more fully appear. The ways aresupported on leg frames of appropriate construction and the torches andtheir supporting means are likewise suitably supported In th operationof the illustrated apparatus, the work pieces are consecutively disposedon the receiving portion of the ways, are then moved therealong to theannealing station and properly positioned thereat by appropriatemechanism, the torches are then moved simultaneously to annealingposition, maintained there for a sufficient interval to effect therequired anneal and are then retracted so as to clear the work piece,after which the latter is moved from the annealing station and onto thedischarge portion of the ways by the succeeding work piece as it in turnis drawn to annealing position, the leading piece being then of coursein condition for removal from the apparatus in properly annealedcondition.

With this general description of the construction and operation of theapparatus in mind, reference may now be had more specifically to thedrawings and the following description of the instrumentalitiesillustrated therein which are comprised in the apparatus and coordinatein its operation. Thus, suitable rigid frames generally designated Ieach comprising'a pair of legs 2 support the longitudinally extendingtransversely spaced way forming rails 3, 3, desirably of inverted" angleiron, on which the flanges of the work pieces W, for example stove topsas shown in broken lines, slide as the pieces are consecutively movedfrom the receiving portion A of the ways to the discharge portion; theways may extend integrally from one end of the apparatus to the otheror, as above mentioned, may be sectionalized and suitably securedtogether. It will be noted that when the apparatus is viewed from thefront, rail 3 nearer the observer is located above rear rail 3' so whenthe flanges of the work piece are resting on both, the piece is inclinedrearwardly desirably at an angle of about 20, and for affording supportto its back another rail 4 is extended along the back of the machineabove rail 3' and suitably supported from the main frames, thearrangement being such that when the work piece is resting on the waysits front flange will considerably overhang front rail 3 as bestillustrated in Fig. 3.

The means provided for moving the work ieces consecutively from thereceiving portion of the ways to the annealing station comprise acylinder It positioned beneath the discharge portion of the ways andcontaining a piston from which the piston rod ll extends toward thereceiving end of the apparatus and at its extremity is connected with ashuttle generally designated l2, the piston being actuated by anysuitable fluid, preferably air. This shuttle comprises two complementaryspaced plates 13 of approximately the shape, shown in Fig. '7 securedtogether by bolts l4, l5, [,6 and countersunk screw ll; between theplates the bolts are. provided with spacer sleeves which may be arrangedfor rotation if desired. On the outer face of one of theplates,preferably that proximate. the front of the apparatus, a latch I8 ispivoted on. bolt l and provided with an arcuate slot 19 receiving boltHl so that when the latch is turned. counterclockwise to the limit ofthe, movement permitted by the slot its upper corner 18' will extendbeyond the body of the shuttle; the latch also carries a depending lug2,0 which receives one end of a spring 2| the other end of which issecured to the head of bolt [B so that the latch is constantly biasedupwardly by the spring. Piston. rod U is connected to. the corner of theshuttle proximate bolt [6, and. to form a track for supporting andguiding the shuttle, a. bar 22 of rectangular cross section passingthrough, it between its plates is disposed beneath and parallel to theways, suitably supported from the latter, and arranged to extend fromabout the middle of receiving portion A to approximately the dischargeportion B. It will thus be apparent that reciprocation of the piston inthe cylinder will correspondingly reciprocate the shuttle forsubstantially the full length of the bar, the length of cylinder I0 andpiston rod ll; being adequate. for this purpose.

As the shuttle normally moves the heavy work pieces quite rapidly alongthe ways, for example at about 180 per minute or even faster, it isevident that if not restrained their momentum might carry them past theannealing station after movement of the shuttle toward the said stationis arrested. Means are therefore provided for arresting the movement ofeach work piece in proper position for annealing as it is drawn theretoby the operation of the shuttle, and to this end the latter is equippedwith a stop lifting bar 25 which extends from the shuttle toward thedischarge end of the ways and has its free extremity downwardly beveledin that direction. This bar or rather its beveled extremity is adaptedto engage in the opening of a U-shaped stop 26 disposed between rails 3,3' in line with the shuttle at a point a little to the right of thelatters limit of movement in that direction when the machine is viewedfrom the front as in Figs. 1 and 2, the legs of the stop slidablyengaging in guides 2'! fixed to the frame, and the stop being soarranged that when in lowermost position it will not impede movement ofthe work pieces along the ways but when it is raised therefrom by bar 25during the latter part of the movement of the shuttle to the right itwill project upwardly far enough to engage the inner face of thetrailing flange of a work piece positioned above it and so prevent thelatterfrom moving beyond a predetermined distance to the right, that is,toward discharge portion B of the ways. Further explanation of theoperation and effect of this stop hereinafter appears.

The apparatus is also desirably provided with a spring pressed shoe 30faced with leather or other appropriate non-abrasive material anddisposed at a suitable distance above the ways so as to yieldinglyengage the flat surfaces of the work pieces and hold the latter snuglyagainst the ways, the shoe preferably being curved upwardly at itsextremities. From the upper face of the shoe bolts 3|, surrounded bycoil springs 32, slidably extend through a longitudinal member 33rigidly supported at its extremity on struts in turn fixed to uprights35 extending vertically upward from the subjacent frames, the angularityof the struts desirably approximating that of the tops of the workpieces when disposed on the ways and the bolts being provided with headson their upper extremities above member 33, the arrangement being suchthat as a work piece passes underneath the shoe the latter ispressedupwardly against the bias of the springs and exerts a correspondingyielding downward pressure on the piece. A secondary function of theshoe is to prevent two superimposed work pieces frombeing drawn by theshuttle to annealing position in case two or more of them have beenpiled on the receiving portion of, the Ways since under such conditionsonly the lowermost piece can pass under the shoe and the superjacent oneis thus relegated to the receiving portion of the ways as the former ispulled from under it.

The apparatus as shown is equipped with two longitudinally spacedtorches 40. adjustably mounted at the. extremities. of a bar 41. ashereinaftefmo're fully described, and this bar is disposed in front ofand parallel to the ways and supported through the medium of a pair oflongitudinally spaced legs 42 which pass slidably through U-shapedguides 43 secured to the face of a support plate 45 disposed in front ofthe machine and upwardly and rearwardly inclined so as to form asubstantial right angle with a plane coincident with the tops of rails3, 3; in other words the plate lies substantially parallel to the frontflange of the work piece when disposed on the ways. This plate isrigidly supported from frames ly and also serves to support an actuatingcylinder whose piston is connected with torch bar 4|. Thus when thepiston in the cylinder is reciprocated by the alternate admission of airor other fluid to its ends the bar 4! and torches 40 are correspondinglymoved with respect to the ways and consequently .to a work piecesupported on them above the bar.

Torches 40 are so supported as to be adjustable to a limited extent inall directions to accommodate work pieces of different dimensions and toenable their respective flames to be directed to the appropriate areasthereof. To this end torch bar 4| is provided adjacent its ends withlongitudinal slots 5| which respectively receive inwardly projectingribs 52 formed up in one leg of each corresponding torch holding bracket55 (Fig. 6), the latter also having a slot 56 receiving a bolt 51whereby limited adjustment of the brackets outwardly and inwardly isafforded to allow torches 40 to be adjusted to the length of the work.The torches are secured to brackets 55 through the medium of splitholders 58 surrounding the torches and held to the brackets by bolts 59extending through slots 60 in their forwardly projecting legs 6i, eachholder also having a rib 62 seating in a guideway 63 in the bracket legto maintain the holder in upright position wherebv the torches can bepositioned properly with respect to the work transversely of its bath,the combined adjustments just described enabling each torch to belocated at substantially any desired position relatively to theannealing station. It will be noted that that leg of the right handbracket which lies parallel to bar 4! is shorter than the correspondingleg of the other bracket since whatever be the length of the work piecestheir leading ends are always positioned by the stop and a relativelylarge capacity for longitudinal adjustment is therefore unnecessary inthe case of the adjacent bracket and torch.

Moreover, each torch comprises a head or nozzle of novel constructionand of particular advantage when employed, as in the present case, forannealing the interior corners of a workpiece since it is adapted todirect the burning gases thereinto in the most effective way and toinhibit their dissipation in directions in which they would accomplishno useful purpose.

These nozzle heads, more particularly shown in Figs. 10 and 11, aresimilar and each nozzle comprises a generally cylindrical body 65preferably formed by machining from a bar of suitable material such ascopper and provided with an axial socket 66 adapted to receive the endof the desirably arranged in staggered spaced horizontal rows subtendingsubstantially an arc of struck from the nozzle axis and terminating in acircumferential groove H preferably of substantially rectangular crosssection the walls of which tend to confine the gases as they emerge fromthe openings. The upper corner of nose 69 is preferably beveled as shownto allow the flame issuing from jet passages 10 to be brought into closeproximity of the work without the nose itself contacting the latter andthe nozzle, which delivers a quadrant or fan-shaped flame due to thearrangement of passages 10 is effective to uniformly heat and therebyanneal the inner corners of flanged stove tops or the like when it isincorporated in apparatus such as that just described. The nozzle,preferably secured to torch tube 6'! by a set screw 12 or other suitablemeans is also further shielded to more fully concentrate the heat at theappropriate zone of the work by a disk (3 which may be mounted on thetube immediately below the nozzle and secured thereto in any convenientway, the diameter of the disk being sufliciently larger than that of thenozzle to substantially overlie and thus in effect partially enclose thecorner zone of the work when the nozzle is projected thereinto.

Operation Reference will now be made to the operation of the apparatuswhen constructed and assembled substantially as hereinbefore describedand when employed, for example, for annealing the interior corners ofstove tops of the character hitherto mentioned, it being understood,however, that cylinders ill and 59 are equipped with appropriate valves,preferably solenoid operated, to control the admission and discharge ofair or other fluid from their respective ends and that the apparatus isalso equipped with suitable switches and other electrical actuating andcontrol devices of usual and well known type coordinated and arranged tocause it to perform either a single or consecutive cycles of operation.Thus, for example, and as schematically indicated in Fig. 12, there maybe provided a limit switch 36 adapted to be closed by the shuttle as itcompletes its movement to the right in Figs. 1 and 2, another limitswitch It! closed by one of legs 42 when in its lowest position, a timedelay relay or like device IEIZ, and a preferably foot actuated startingswitch I03 with circuits suitably interconnecting them.

Now assuming the shuttle is at the left hand end of its path (Figs. 1,2), when starting switch I03 is closed by the operator a solenoid N34 isenergized to actuate a four-way valve I05 in such manner that air isadmitted to the left hand end of cylinder l0 so as to move the shuttletoward the right and as the latch is then positioned to engage theadjacent and leading end flange of a work piece on the receiving portionof the ways the piece will be drawn to the right and onto the annealingportion 0 thereof. Toward the end of this movement the beveled end ofbar 25 passes into the opening in stop 26 and as the movement of theshuttle. continues the bar lifts the stop to a position in which it canintercept the leading flange of the work piece and so arrest furthermovement of the latter to the right and substantially properly positionit with relation to the torches. Approximately as this occurs theshuttle engages limit switch I00 to energize the solenoid ID! of anothergenerally similar four-way valve I08 which admits air to the lower endof cylinder 50 to thereby raise bar 41 and the previously lightedtorches relatively to the now stationa y work piece; during thismovement the torch nozzles pass into the interior of the latterproximate its front end corners and are brought to rest at the limit oftheir upward movement adjacent thereto, the respective torch adjustingmeans of course having been set to produce this result. The torchestherefore new direct the burnin gases issuing from them to the interiorcorners of the work piece, disks 1'3 assisting in confining the heat andpreventing overheating of the supporting parts of the torches. Assolenoid H)? is in series with time delay relay I92 the latter isenergized when switch I08 closes and maintains the circuit throughsolenoid I01 fora limited time after switch 1'80 again opens on theensuing left hand movement of the shuttle so as to keep the burners inannealing position for a suitable time, for example four seconds.

.As soon as the piece which is about to be annealed has been properlypositioned at the annealing station the shuttle has performed itsfunction insofar as that piece is concerned, and as bar 4| rises leg 62leaves switch [ill and so allows it to open and valve I 05 then operatesto admit air to the right hand end of cylinder ii? to again carry theshuttle to its limit left hand position and thus beneath the succeedingwork piece disposed on the receiving portion of the ways, latch 18 ofthe shuttle during this movement sliding under the leading end flange oithe piece and then returning to normal position so as to be ready toengage said flange when the shuttle is once more moved toward the right.After completion of the annealing, relay it! opens the circuit throughsolenoid ID! to actuate valve 1-08 to return bar 4| and the torches toinitial position, thus completing the cycle and as switch I0] is nowclosed the apparatus is conditioned for the succeeding cycle if theoperator has removed his rcot from the foot switch but if he has not,the cycles will be repeated consecutively and automatically as long asthat switch is held closed.

During the succeeding cycle the second work piece is drawn to the rightuntil its leading end flange contacts the trailing end flange oi thework piece which has just been annealed, and as the stop upon withdrawalof actuating bar during movement of the shuttle to the left has droppedto non-stopping position, the annealed work piece is pushed onto thedischarge portion of the table by the succeeding piece as it is drawn toannealing position until the stop is again raised to engage the trailingend fiange of the leading piece and so arrest further movement of bothpieces and position the trailing one in proper relation to the burners.It will be observed that the first piece while being annealed ispositioned farther to the right by the thickness or its flange than thesucceeding pieces since the leading face of its end flange contacts thestop whereas in the case of subsequent pieces the inner face of thetrailing fiange of the annealed piece does so but this is of no momentin actual practice.

It will thus be evident that in accordance with the method of myinvention the workpieces are consecutively moved to an annealingstation, are there simultaneously and accurately annealed at a pluralityof points and are then discharged from the station through the action ofthe succeeding piece as it is brought thereto and, further, that whilein the particular embodiment of the apparatus herein described thearrangement is such that the torches are raised into the interior ofeach piece, the apparatus can readily be arranged i'nsuch manner thatthe torches are maintained in a stationary position and the work pieceslowered over them since relative movement between the torches and thepiece is all that is essential to dispose the burners at an appropriatepoint in its interior for annealing its corners.

Further, while I have herein described one embodiment'of the apparatuswhich is well adapted for the performance of said method I do notthereby desire or intendto restrict or confine myself specificallythereto as numerous changes in its form, details of construction andassembly may be made if desired and-anyappropriate type and arrangementof electrical instrumentalities employed for its actuation, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United States:

1. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising longitudinallyextending ways for successively receiving the articles to be annealed,means reciprocal parallel to the ways adapted to engage and draw theleading article therealong from its point of reception, a stop actuatedby said means operative to limit the movement of the article at apredeterminedpointon the ways, a pair of annealing torches 'disposed inspaced relation adjacent the ways and simultaneously reciprocable withrespect thereto, and means operative to move the torches toward thearticle after it is positioned by the stop to thereby dispose theirnozzles in proximity to limited areas of its surface and to then retractthe torches to clear their nozzles from the path of the articlepreparatory to its further movement along the ways under the influenceof the succeeding article as it is drawn by the reciprocal :means intoalignment with the torches.

2. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising longitudinallyextending waysproviding a receiving station, an annealing station and adischarge station,:a pair of longitudinally spaced torches disposedproximate the annealing station and normally out of alignment with thepath of the articles to be annealed as they are successively moved alongthe ways, means operable to project the torches simultaneously towardsaid path to bring their nozzles into proximity to those areas of anarticle which are to be annealed while it is at the annealing station,means operable to successively draw the articles from the receiving tothe annealing station, and a stop operable to arrest the movement ofeach article at said station prior to movement of the torches toward thearticle and adapted to automatically clear the path of the articlesafter each article is so arrested.

3. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising longitudinallyextending Ways providing a receiving station, an annealing station and adischarge station, a plurality of torches arranged proximate theannealing station in spaced relation and normally out of the path of thearticles as they are consecutively moved along the ways, means operableto project said torches toward said path and thus in proximity to anarticle' to be annealed when positioned at the annealing station and tothereafter retract said torches out of said path, a shuttlerecipro'cable parallel to the ways,- fluid actuated means forreciprocating the shuttle, a latch on the shuttle adapted toconsecutively engage the articles after they are disposed at thereceiving station and draw them to the annealing station as the shuttleis moved in the direction thereof, and a stop operative as the shuttleapproaches the limit of its movement in said direction to arrest furthermovement of the article under the influence of the shuttle and latch andposition it at the annealing station, said stop moving out of articlearresting position on the ensuing opposite stroke of the shuttle toenable the annealed article to be moved toward the discharge station bythe succeeding article as it is drawn toward the annealing station bythe shuttle and latch.

4. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising substantiallyhorizontal ways adapted to support the articles to be annealed,automatic means operable to consecutively move the articles along theways to an annealing station, a member projectible into the path of thearticles to successively stop each in a predetermined position at saidstation, a torch normally supported adjacent said station out of thepath of the article, and means for effecting automatic movement of thetorch into annealing position adjacent the article when at said station,said means operable to move the articles along the ways including meansfor projecting said member into said path.

5. Annealing apparatus of the class described comprising ways adapted tosupport for successive movement along a rectilinear path a plurality ofindependent articles each having a main body portion and flangesextending normal thereto and to each other, means operable toconsecutively move the articles along the ways to an an- 10 nealingstation with their body portions parallel to the ways, a torch adjacentsaid station normally positioned out of the path of the articles andincluding a head adapted to project a heating flame in a directionsubstantially parallel to the plane of the body portion of each articlewhile at said station, means for automatically projecting the torchalong a path substantially normal to said plane to thereby impinge saidflame against the article within a corner defined by a junction of saidflanges with each other and with the body portion upon the attainment bythe article of a fixed position at said station, and means forthereafter consecutively retracting the torch and projecting the articlefarther along said ways while moving a succeeding article therealongtoward said station.

HENRY A. HOLBERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 850,190 Stevens Apr. 16, 19051,338,071 Cohen Apr. 27, 1920 1,781,785 Kerr Nov. 18, 1930 1,961,751Feyling June 5, 1934 2,102,040 Slade Dec. 14, 1937 2,235,771 McDermottMar. 18, 1941 2,252,030 Pratt Aug. 12, 1941 2,254,700 Jones Sept. 2,1941 2,331,014 Brown Oct. 5, 1943 2,366,088 Coody Dec. 26, 19442,457,654 Furkert Dec. 28, 1948

